ABYSSINIAN ROLLER ; BIRDS OF UGANDA – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

Also referred to as Coracias abyssinicus, the Abyssinian roller is a notable Uganda safari tour bird species belonging to the roller family that breeds across the tropical belt in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Abyssinian Roller is a medium sized bird stretching from 28 – 30cm marked with a brown back and blue plumage on the rest of the body.  The Adult Abyssinian ground roller feature 12cm tail ribbons and the two sexes are similar as viewed on birding safaris in Uganda.

The rollers majorly perch on trees, overhead wires or posts looking out for gigantic insects along with small rodents to feed. In case of forest fire, they take advantage of the disturbed invertebrates. The diet includes; grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars and beetles along with alate termites. The Abyssinian rollers are notably fearless and would dive and roll at intruders including humans while displaying its turns and twists forming the background for its naming.  The Abyssinian roller nests in tree hole or building and lays a range of three (3) to six (6) eggs.

Besides the tropical belt of Sub Sahara Africa, Abyssinian roller thrives in the outside world including western Yemen and South western Saudi Arabia. It is common in warm open country areas with some trees and have adapted to farmland and the human settlement.

The Abyssinian roller is listed as species of least concern under the IUCN red list.  In Uganda, this bird species can be explored in Kidepo Valley National Park while on Uganda birding safari and this can be done by purchasing an all inclusive package or by arranging private travel using the self drive car rental services in Uganda.

PAPYRUS GONOLEK ; BIRDS OF UGANDA – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

The Papyrus gonolek also referred to as Laniarius mufumbiri belongs to family Malaconotidae and thrives in the destinations of Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania Kenya and Uganda where it is explored on Africa birding safaris including birding safaris and tours in Uganda.

Standing as a medium sized bush shrike, the Papyrus gonolek stretches to 18cm marked with a dull yellow crown, black head, tail, wings and upper parts except the white bar on their wings. The papyrus gonolek has a whitish lower belly while the upper belly feature an orange crimson as viewed on Uganda birding safaris.

The Papyrus gonoleks thrive in pair or can keep single in the papyrus swamps hanging within the vegetation. They fly few times and cover a short distance across the water to patch in the adjacent papyrus.  The Papyrus gonoleks can be identified by their calls marked with grating and whistling. The diet of the Papyrus gonolek constitutes of majorly insects including; flies, beetles along with ants. They also consume fruit, snails and seeds when available.

This bird species is limited to papyrus swamps in terms of habitat distribution which increases its vulnerability since such habitats are threatened by pollution and encroachment. It is listed on the red list of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as the Near Threatened species.

The Papyrus Gonolek is thus considered a water bird and wetland habitats are normally targeted if planning to explore it during a birding safari to Uganda.

YELLOW HAVEN KAMPALA ; A TRANQUIL GETAWAY – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

Nestled on the shores of Lake Victoria Africa’s largest lake and one of the popular Uganda tour sites, the Yellow Haven Kampala is marked with splendid gardens surrounded by the lush freshness which combine to make it an oasis of tranquillity and serenity ideal for getaway from the hassle and bustle of Kampala City.

The water inlets come along with a range of frogs, birds and fish not forgetting the perfect ground for boat rides and experiential canoe paddling along the magnificent lake shoreline in the warm sunshine in a fishing attempt or connecting to any of the adjacent Islands for Barbeque while on a vacation safari holiday in Uganda Africa.

Yellow Haven is a Dutch inspired architectural facility with Ronald Scheer and his wife Joan being the designer architects. The inspiration was to have a remarkable complex in Africa where their friends across the world including those on Safaris to Uganda would be treated to the ultimate offers of nature amidst luxury and unforgettable service.

Accommodation at Yellow Haven Kampala is provided in two (2) storey townhouse and two beautiful single storey units. The apartments are equipped with the modern day European amenities generating ultimate standard and comfort for the guests including those on Uganda Safaris and Tours.

The range of nine (9) en suite Apartments thrive at the Yellow Haven including; Crested Crane equipped with patio, kitchen, 2 double rooms and living room, Wild Geese equipped with bar kitchen, attic balcony, living room and 1 double King sized bed, Kingfisher equipped with living room, kitchen, attic balcony, 1 double King Size bed along with 2 single beds, Ross Turaco equipped with living room, 1 double King sized bed and kitchen, Sunbird equipped with bar kitchen, balcony, living room, 1 double bed along with 1 single bed, Tower marked with 1 small double bed and shower, Wax Bill equipped with 2 bedrooms each fitted with a double bed and balcony with the views of the pool and the lake, Starling equipped with one bed room and Yellow Ibis equipped with 2 bedrooms with 1 bed room marked with 2 single rooms while another has 1 single room.

The facilities at Yellow Haven Kampala include; restaurant overlooking the lake, 22 seat conference facility overlooking the lake, Free Wi-Fi, gift shop, BBQ,  Laundry service, Luggage storage, Secure parking, Sauna/ Massage, Swimming pool, Dutch residence restaurant, bar and lounge along with complimentary drinking water in the fridges. These combine to make the Yellow Haven a perfect getaway for the Uganda safari holiday enthusiasts.

LITTLE BEE-EATER; BIRDS OF KIDEPO UGANDA – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

The little bee-eater also referred to as the Merops pusillus is one of the unique bird species sought after on Uganda birding safaris and tours on Kidepo Valley National Park.

Belonging to the family Meropidae, the little bee-eater thrives greatly in Sub Saharan Africa. It stands as a bright-colored slender bird marked with yellow throat, green upper parts, black gorget and brown upper breast as viewed on birding safaris in Uganda.

The wings of little bee-eater are brown and green while the beak features a black color. They stretch from 15 – 17cm in length making it the smallest bee-eater thriving in Africa. Both female and male are the same. The Little bee-eater breeds in open country marked with bushes and close to water. They consume majorly insects mainly bees, hornets and wasps as explored on Uganda tours. They hunt in low perches of around one (1) metre. It removes the sting from the bees by hitting it repeatedly on the hard surface.

The Little bee-eaters differ from other bee-eaters as they are solitary nesters creating tunnel in the sandy banks or at the entry of the den of the Aardvark.   Four (4) – six (6) white eggs are laid and these are taken care of by both female and male birds. They feature communal roosting as at times explored on Uganda Safaris.

DOMESTIC TOURISM IN LANGO GAINS MOMENTUM – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

The Local government of Lango along with the private sector have appreciated tourism including Uganda Safari tours as a significant drive to economic development following the campaign drive undertaken by Uganda Tourism Board – the national tourism marketing body.

The local leaders met with the team of tourism officials that were led by Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda the State Minister for Tourism after which they visited a range of Uganda tour sites in the region along with undertaking tourism sensitization in communities and schools. The campaign named Tulambule /Olim Lango attracted a range of participants including Civic and cultural leaders along with Members of Parliament.
This adventure vacation safari in Uganda commenced on Thursday crossing into the Lango region on  National Roads Authority (UNRA) ferry from Nakasongola to the district of Amolatar before proceeding to Kangai Area where the two famous Kings of Buganda and Bunyoro namely Mwanga and Kabalega respectively sought a refuge in their struggle of resisting against colonial rule.

The sub region of Lango covers a range of eight (8) districts including; Amolatar, Alebtong, Apac, Kole, Dokolo, Lira, Otuke and Oyam and apart from the historic sites like the one cited above, the region also features remarkable local cuisine and local music instruments that stimulate exciting cultural dances which combine to make the region worth visiting while on safaris in Uganda.

The Institutions that participated in the drive include the Ministry Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Lango Tourism Cluster and Uganda Wildlife Education Center.  The Tulambule is a nationwide campaign that is aimed at enhancing domestic tourism through site visits, identification, mapping, branding and promotion of tourism products.

BLACK AND WHITE COLOBUS MONKEYS ; PRIMATES OF UGANDA RWANDA – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

The Black and White Colobus Monkeys are descendants of Old World Monkeys belonging to the Colobus genus native to the continental lands of Africa where they are explored on Africa Safaris including Rwanda Safaris and Tours.

The Black and white colobus Monkey gets its colobus name from its lack of thumbs. They are marked with beautiful black fur that contrasts with extended white mantle, bushy tail, whiskers along with beard around the face as viewed on Safaris and Tours in Rwanda.

The Black and White Colobus Monkeys consumes leaves, flowers, twigs and fruits. They live in habitats such as primary and secondary forests, wooded grasslands and riverine forests. They prefer to thrive more in higher density logged forests compared to primary forests.  They have a gestation period of six (6) months and the new born Colobus monkeys are purely white while cases of allomothering are recorded among these species meaning that the young one is cared by the entire troop other than the biological mother alone.

The Black and White colobus monkeys feature sloppy habits of eating which makes them significant in terms of seed dispersal. They feature a weight of 15 – 30lb and 30inches in size. The predators of the Black and White Colobus Monkeys include humans, large eagles and Leopards.

Nyungwe Forest National Park has the largest troop of Black and White Colobus Monkeys in Africa with over 400 individuals and it is very fascinating to explore during the Colobus monkey tracking activity on Rwanda Safari.  In Uganda, they can be viewed in Kibale National Park, Semuliki National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park among others. They are noted among the popular primate species sought after on wildlife safaris in Uganda.

BETTER TRANSPORT TO DRIVE UGANDA’S TOURISM GROWTH – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

The destination Uganda aims at increasing the travelers that take up Safaris to Uganda to a tune of four (4) million in the next four (4) years capitalizing on among others the road network improvement connecting to the range of attractions including National Parks.

Tourism including Uganda gorilla safaris and tours forms the core exchange earners for the country along with other traditional exports like remittances from abroad and agricultural products like coffee and tea. The quantities of Oil and gas were discovered in 2006 but the country has not yet reached the production phase.

Besides hiring of three public relations firms to market the destination in the generating markets Europe and North America, the country has embarked on tireless efforts to improve the highways that connect the Uganda Safari parks to the main urban centers like Kampala from where the travelers mainly start their journeys from.  The feeder roads have also been improved upon reducing the time spent in the transfer.

Apart from road improvement , it also intends to revamp the range of airports that exist in various National Parks to act as faster and expeditious transfer options for the travelers on Uganda tours. Currently, there are functioning Airfields in these parks including Pakuba and Bugungu in Murchison Falls National Park, Apoka in Kidepo Valley National Park, Mweya in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kihihi and Kisoro for the Uganda gorilla safari destination of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

With relative stability and the success of the security forces in neutralizing the Al Shabaab threat, the move to increase the arrival numbers could be on the right track.

GULF AIR SET TO RESUME THE FLIGHTS IN ENTEBBE – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

The Ugandan Government and the Kingdom of Bahrain have reached consensus to rejuvenate national carrier ( Gulf Air ) flights to Entebbe International Airport with the aim of enhancing travel between the two countries including transporting the Uganda Safari tour undertakers.

The Uganda’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mr. Rashid Ssemuddu noted that the carrier which had halted operations in Uganda in the year 2012 is set to resume operations under the new bilateral agreement between the two nations aimed at increasing tourism and investment.

During the meeting with Sheikh Khaled Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa the Bahrain’s Foreign Minister held in Kampala on Wednesday 23^rd November, a range of pledges were made by the Bahrain’s representatives including assembling a business delegation from Bahrain to visit Uganda in the month of March 2017 to explore the investment opportunities and strike deals with the local partners.  The King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa is also anticipated to take up a safari to Uganda in the near future.

Air Transport is noted to be at center of tourism development as it is recorded that almost half of the international travelers connect to their destinations by Air including those on uganda gorilla tracking safaris . In fact 54% of the International tourists transfer by Air.

There are a range of seventeen (17) carriers that apparently operate flights from Entebbe International Airport including the International re-known carriers such as KLM, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Fly Emirates along with big African carriers like South African Airways, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir among others.  Entebbe also is a hub for domestic flight carriers like Aero link which operate scheduled flights to the range of destinations explored on safaris in Uganda.

MABAMBA WETLAND ; BIRDING SITES OF UGANDA – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

Mabamba Wetland is one of the popular Uganda birding safari sites with great bird sights including the most sought after Shoebill Stork.

At 48km from Kampala, the Mabamba Wetland is an International Ramsar site and besides the Shoebill, it also offers likely sights of bird species like grey crowned crane, cattle egret, common bulbul, long – crested eagle, hammerkop and grey plantain eater among others which present a diverse and exciting experience for birders on birding safaris in Uganda.

Birding in Mabamba is carried out on small engine-powered canoes run by experienced local guides that have deep knowledge of the special places where the rare shoebill stork can be sighted. The natural and tranquil environment of Mabamba is an extension of Lake Victoria and its magical waterways are themselves fascinating to explore especially for ecotourism enthusiasts while on safari in Uganda.

An estimate of 215 bird species thrive in Mabamba Swamp stretching to 16,500ha including the migrant species from Europe such as White winged terns that tend to come in the month of August escaping the winter conditions. Mabamba Wetland covers a section of Waiga bay to the west of Entebbe International Airport – the main gateway for travelers to and from Uganda including those on adventure vacation tours in Uganda Africa.

The wetland is in the political boundaries of Kamengo and Kasanje sub-counties in the Wakiso and Mpigi Districts and it is accessed from both Entebbe and Kampala. From Kampala, one follows Masaka road 30km before branching to Buyege proceeding 22km to and eventually Mabamba. From Entebbe, one branches off from Entebbe road at Kisubi driving to Nakawuka, Kasanje and eventually Mabamba.

The destination Uganda is an internationally recognized birding destination with a total of 1,057 bird species comprising 50% of the continent’s bird species and 11% of the global bird species. Other famous birding destinations in the country include among others; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park also popular for Uganda gorilla safaris, Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and Semuliki National Parks.

ORIBI ; THE ANIMALS OF UGANDA – UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

The Oribi also referred to as Ourebia ourebi is a notable small antelope that thrive in South, West and East of Africa including Uganda where it is explored on wildlife safaris in Uganda.

Noted to be the only member of the Oribi genus, Oribi was first detailed by August Wilhelm a German Zoologist in the year 1782 and it features a range of eight (8) sub species some of which are viewed on Uganda Safaris and Tours.

Stretching from 50 – 67cm at shoulder and 12 – 22kg in weight, the Oribi coat is yellowish to brown contrasting with the white throat, chin, rump and under parts. It is marked by long limbs and neck and slightly raised back as explored on safari in Uganda. The thin straight horns are present in males stretching from 3.1 – 7.1 inches in length. Their horns feature smooth tips and are ringed at their base.

The Oribis are diurnal and as result feed during the day. They live in herds of about four (4) members with the territories defended by males and these territories range from 25 – 100ha in size. These species are majorly grazers and tend to prefer fresh grasses along with occasional browsing.  Some of the varieties consumed include; Eulalia, Andropogon, Loudetia, Hyparrhenia, Themeda and Pennisetum species.

Regarding reproduction, the Oribis become mature sexually at ten (10) – fourteen (14) months and mating occurs especially in the rainy season and the gestation takes six (6) – seven (7) months after which a single calf is produced.  The calf can be hidden for close to a month with the mother visiting it regularly for suckling and weaning later occurs at 4 – 5 months. The Oribi life span is eight (8) – ten (10) years in the wilderness while in captivity; it can stretch between twelve (12) – fourteen (14) years.

The Oribi thrives in a range of habitats including savannahs, tropical grasslands, floodplains and montane grasslands. Usually, the Oribi choose the habitat depending on the availability of cover against predators.

The Oribi is listed as species of Least Concern on the red list of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with global population estimate of 750,000 individuals. However, the population is reducing due to livestock competition and agricultural expansion.

In Uganda, the Oribis thrive in Kidepo Valley, Murchison Falls and Lake Mburo National Parks and are listed among the Uganda Safari wildlife attractions.